Self Drive Boat Hire at The Spit
Drive your own boat on Middle Harbour — Sydney’s calmest, most sheltered water, straight off The Spit Reserve in Mosman. No licence needed on our two Corals, or take the Axopar 28 with a valid licence.
Coral — Leisurely Cruiser
📍 Departs The Spit, Mosman
The perfect beginner-friendly boat. Full shade, inside cabin with lunch table, swim platform. Easy to drive — full instructions provided. We run two identical Corals at The Spit, so weekends that book out on one often have space on the other.
- 👥 Up to 6 guests
- ⚡ No licence needed
- ☂️ Full shade canopy
- 🍽️ Inside cabin + lunch table
- 🏊 Swim platform
- ⛽ Fuel included
Or call 0432 428 297
Axopar 28 — Luxury Sports Cruiser
📍 Departs The Spit, Mosman
Sydney’s finest self-drive day boat. 28-foot European sports cruiser with 350hp Mercury — fast, spacious, and built for the harbour.
- 👥 Up to 8 guests
- 📄 Licence required (25+)
- ⚡ 350hp Mercury engine
- 🚻 Private toilet
- 🏊 Swim platform + ladder
- 🎵 6-speaker Bluetooth
Or call 0432 428 297
Prices shown are starting prices — weekends and peak dates are higher, and your exact price appears the moment you pick a date.
Getting to The Spit
The Spit Reserve, Spit Rd, Mosman NSW 2088 — on the Mosman side of Spit Bridge, right on the water.
- 🚗 Parking — free and paid parking within a short walk of the reserve.
- 🚌 By bus — Spit Rd services stop at Spit Bridge.
- 👋 On arrival — our crew meets you at the water for your briefing and short test drive; you’re usually underway within 20 minutes.
Questions? Call 0432 428 297.
How Self-Drive Boat Hire in Sydney Works
Three simple steps to get on the water.
Book Online
Choose your boat, pick your date and time. Instant confirmation — no back-and-forth.
Meet at the wharf
Meet our crew at The Spit Reserve, Mosman. Full safety briefing and a short test drive before you go.
Explore the Harbour
You’re the captain. Manly, Rose Bay, past the Bridge — maps and harbour tips provided. BYO everything.
What’s Included
Whichever boat you choose, every self-drive hire comes with the essentials.
Included on every boat
- ⛵ The boat, fuelled and ready
- 🧥 Safety equipment for everyone aboard
- 📚 Full safety briefing + short test drive
- ☂️ Shade on board
- 🌏 Harbour maps & route tips
- 📞 On-call support throughout your hire
BYO food & drinks on every boat. Fuel included (Axopar charged on usage).
Your live harbour map
Every booking comes with its own map of the harbour — built by us, for these boats. Open it in your phone’s browser. Nothing to download.
- 📍Watch your own boat move. There’s a GPS tracker on board, and the map goes live five minutes before your start time.
- 🏖️All the good spots, marked. Swim beaches, calm anchorages, free public moorings, toilets and places to eat — each with a tip from us.
- 🚫And where not to go. Your boundary for the day, no-go zones and shallow ground, drawn for the boat you’re actually on.
- 👋Send it to anyone. Friends on shore can follow along and work out where to meet you.
- ⏱️Never lose track of the time. A countdown to your return, so you come back without rushing.
A sample day on the harbour, so you can have a play before you book. On the day it’s your own boat on there instead.
What Guests Say
Rated 5.0 from 112 Google reviews across our Sydney fleet.
Which Boat is Right for You?
| Coral | Axopar 28 | Marlow | Frankie | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Licence needed | No | Yes (25+) | No | No |
| Guests | Up to 6 | Up to 8 | Up to 8 | Up to 8 |
| From price | From $400 | From $795 | From $495 | From $650 |
| Departs | The Spit | The Spit | Double Bay → | Double Bay → |
| Fuel | Included | Charged separately | Included | Included |
| Toilet | No | Yes | Yes | No |
| BBQ on board | No | No | No | Yes |
| Best for | Families & first-timers | Speed & distance | Shaded family days | BBQ & groups |
Self-Drive Resources
Looking for a skippered cruise instead? Browse all 180+ boats available for hire on Sydney Harbour — from intimate yachts to large party boats with full crew.
Ready to Captain Your Own Adventure?
Book online in 2 minutes. Free cancellation if the weather doesn’t cooperate.
Or call us: 0432 428 297
Boat Hire at Spit Bridge — the Local’s Launchpad
The Spit sits at the mouth of Middle Harbour, which is exactly why we run our self-drive fleet from here. Within minutes of leaving the wharf you’re in protected water — no ferry wake, no ocean swell — with Balmoral, Chinamans Beach, Clontarf and Sugarloaf Bay all in easy range. It’s the water we’d choose for a first-time skipper, and the water locals come back to on a sunny Saturday.
Spit Bridge boat hire with Boatique means turning up, getting a proper briefing from crew who are on this water every day, and heading off to explore at your own pace — swim stops, beach picnics, fish and chips at anchor. Book the Coral if nobody in your group has a licence, or the Axopar 28 if you’re licensed and want something quick and premium. We also run self-drive boats from Double Bay in the eastern suburbs, and you can compare the whole self-drive fleet here.
Frequently Asked Questions
➤ Do I need a boat licence to hire a boat at Spit Bridge?
No licence is needed for the Coral — anyone 18+ can drive it after our briefing and short test drive. The Axopar 28 requires a valid boat driving licence.
➤ What happens if the weather is bad?
If conditions aren’t safe or pleasant, we offer a weather hold — move your booking to another day or take a credit. You won’t lose your money to rain.
➤ What’s included in the price?
Your briefing and test drive, safety gear and lifejackets in all sizes (kids included), harbour maps and the live harbour map on your phone. Fuel is included on the Coral; the Axopar is fuelled on return based on what you use.
➤ How long can we go out for?
The Coral runs 3-hour hires and a longer Day Tripper. The Axopar runs half-day and full-day hires. Exact times vary by season — the booking calendar shows what’s available on your date.
➤ Where exactly do we depart from?
The Spit Reserve on Spit Rd, Mosman — on the water at Spit Bridge, gateway to Middle Harbour.